Sunday hunt for links – Wild Turkey Edition

A couple of weeks ago, I received a request/suggestion in my email box for an upcoming Sunday hunt for links article. Because of the time of the year, tis the season for giving thanks, I felt today would be a good time to feature the bird that at least one of our founding fathers wanted to make our national bird. More on that in a moment. I am talking about the Wild Turkey, not to be confused with it’s domesticated cousin, the turkeys my father used to raise and the ones many of us will have for Thanksgiving dinner. Trust me, there is a world of difference between the two birds, as we will soon see.

If there is such a thing as a true native American, it would have to be the Wild Turkey. At it’s highest point of population, it could be found all across North America, including Mexico. He was here with the Indians, before the explorers and settlers arrived, and he was already an integral part of their lives. He supplied food for their stomachs and feathers for their ornaments. As with any of God’s creatures, the Wild Turkey is quite an amazing animal. Here is what Wikipedia has to say about this magnificent bird.

The Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which was domesticated from the South Mexican subspecies of the Wild Turkey.

Adult Wild Turkeys have long reddish-yellow to greyish-green legs and a black body. Males have a large, featherless, reddish head, red throat, and red wattles on the throat and neck. The head has fleshy growths called caruncles. When males are excited, a fleshy flap on the bill expands, and this, the wattles and the bare skin of the head and neck all become engorged with blood, almost concealing the eyes and bill. The long fleshy object over a males beak is called a snood. When excited, a male turkey’s head turns blue, when ready to fight it turns red. Each foot has three toes, and males have a spur behind each of their lower legs.

Turkeys have a long, dark, fan-shaped tail and glossy bronze wings. As with many other species of the Galliformes, turkeys exhibit strong sexual dimorphism. The male is substantially larger than the female, and his feathers have areas of red, purple, green, copper, bronze, and gold iridescence. Female feathers are duller overall, in shades of brown and gray. Parasites can dull coloration of both sexes; in males, coloration may serve as a signal of health. The primary wing feathers have white bars. Turkeys have 5000 to 6000 feathers. Tail feathers have the same length in adults, different lengths in juveniles. Males typically have a “beard”, a tuft of coarse hair (modified feathers) growing from the center of the breast. Beards average 9 inches (230 mm) in length. In some populations, 10 to 20 percent of females have a beard, usually shorter and thinner than that of the male. The adult male normally weighs from 5 to 11 kg (11–24 lbs) and measures 100–125 cm (39–49 in). The adult female is typically much smaller at 3 to 5.4 kg (6.6–12 lbs) and are 76 to 95 cm (30–37 in) long. The wingspan ranges from 1.25 to 1.44 m (49–57 in). The record-sized adult male Wild Turkey, according to the National Wild Turkey Federation, was 38 lb (17.2 kg).

Wild Turkeys are surprisingly agile fliers and cunning, unlike their domestic counterparts. Turkeys are very cautious birds and will fly or run at the first sign of danger. Their ideal habitat is an open woodland or savanna,[4] where they may fly beneath the canopy top and find perches. They usually fly close to the ground for no more than a quarter mile (400 m). Turkeys have many vocalizations: “gobbles,” “clucks,” “putts,” “purrs,” “yelps,” “cutts,” “whines,” “cackles,” and “kee-kees.” In early spring, male turkeys, also called gobblers or toms, gobble to announce their presence to females and competing males. The gobble can carry for up to a mile. Males also emit a low-pitched “drumming” sound; produced by the movement of air in the air sack in the chest, similar to the booming of a prairie chicken. In addition they produce a sound known as the “spit” which is a sharp expulsion of air from this air sack. Hens “yelp” to let gobblers know their location. Gobblers often yelp in the manner of females, and hens can gobble, though they rarely do so. Immature males, called jakes, often yelp.

As I have already mentioned, the Wild Turkey is nothing like the bird most of us will be eating for Thanksgiving. Talk to anyone who hunts these birds and they can tell how how true that is. They are extremely cagey animals and very hard to draw in close enough to get a good shot. That is why turkey hunters are usually the ones wearing the most camouflage in the woods. They are also the ones who can be heard trying to imitate the various vocalizations made by the Wild Turkey. If there is one weakness a tom turkey has, it’s a hen turkey. Given the right circumstances, they will show up when they hear a hen yelping in the trees.

Before we get to the links for today, I want to include a quote from a letter written by Benjamin Franklin to his daughter. In it, he espouses his admiration for the Wild Turkey.

For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.

With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by Sharping & Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. He is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country…

I am on this account not displeased that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America… He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.

While it is not known if Ben Franklin actually advocated to Congress as they took six years to choose the Bald Eagle as our national bird (hmmm, some things haven’t changed), he did capture the essence of the Wild Turkey. He may be extremely cautious and ready to take flight at the drop of a hat, but he will also not hesitate to fight. As you can imagine, a bird as big as the Wild Turkey can put up quite a fight, if he chooses to do so. Fight or flight, the Wild Turkey is a truly amazing bird and a true Native American. Now, to the hunt for links.

America’s Watchtower wonders why Senate Bill S510 gives control of the FDA to the Department of Homeland Security.

WyBlog wonders why a 15-year-old girl only got one year of detention for selling her 7-year-old sister for sex.

About LD Jackson

LD Jackson has written 2048 posts in this blog.

Founder and author of the political and news commentary blog Political Realities. I have always loved to write, but never have I felt my writing was more important than in this present day. If I have changed one mind or impressed one American about the direction our country is headed, then I will consider my endeavors a success. I take the tag line on this blog very seriously. Above all else, in search of the truth.

Thanks for the link! What a great exerpt from a Ben Franklin letter. I knew that he wanted the wild turkey to be the national bird, but I had never heard ofhis reasoning behind it.

http://www.ldjackson.net LD Jackson

You’re welcome, Steve. I knew some of Ben Franklin’s reasoning, but I had not read his letter. It was insightful, to say the least.

http://onemom.com OneMom

Good morning Larry! I was led down some bunny trails from your post this morning and learned some American History (unrelated to turkeys). In Franklin’s letter he referred to “the Cincinnati”, so I went to look up where that came from – Latin for citizen soldier. While learning that I saw a link about “The Society of the Cincinnati”, which ultimately took me to an article about the conspiracy theory about The Society of the Cincinnati. Here’s the link to the article: http://www.ghi-dc.org/publications/ghipubs/bu/031/65.pdf

http://www.ldjackson.net LD Jackson

Hey, we all should learn something new every day. That’s how we get smarter, don’t you know.

http://www.Bunkerville.wordpress.com Bunkerville

Thanks for a nice story and pics. There is nothing like seeing these fine feathered friends at their best, We have a dozen or more that hang out here near the homestead in the Poconos.

http://www.ldjackson.net LD Jackson

The Wild Turkey is an amazing animal, Bunkerville. Have you ever hunted them? I have not, but those who have say they are the ultimate challenge. They have a terrific ability to remember how things look. They can spot changes, ie. a hunter sitting under a tree, or movement in a heartbeat.

fleeceme

The most interesting part of your post to me was the fact that males and females seem to have very distinct vocabularies – they can both “make” the noises of each sex, but apparently do not choose to. I don’t know much about birds in general, but I found that fascinating.

You can tell your love for animals and nature, you do some of your best writing with your Sunday links posts. Good work. =)

Thank you for the link. =)

http://www.ldjackson.net LD Jackson

You are welcome for the link, Colin. Thank you for your kind words. I do enjoy writing these posts, more than any I do.

http://capitolcommentary.com Harrison

The turkey that end up on the Thanksgiving table is so engineered it can’t even walk or mate on its own… a far cry from this animal.

http://www.ldjackson.net LD Jackson

That is the truth, Harrison. The domesticated turkey isn’t even close to the Wild Turkey. We used to raise them and I could tell you story after story of how dumb those animals really are.

http://capitolcommentary.com Harrison

It’s kind of sad what large scale breeding has done to that animal. The taste has gone from it, too.

http://conservativehideout.com/wordpress Matt

Thanks for the link, and the lesson. Nice post. I like how you do these, with the information and such.

http://thecurrent9171787.blogspot.com/ John Carey

Thanks for the link Larry. I knew the Benjamin Franklin was against the eagle as our nation’s national symbol, I just never realized how much he detested this eagle. Very good information to file in my little mind. Great pics of the bird.

http://www.ldjackson.net LD Jackson

Yeah, for some reason, he really didn’t like the Bald Eagle. You are welcome. As always, you did a fine job with your writing.

http://rjjrdq.com rjjrdq

Thanks for the link, LD. I could never hunt the wild turkey. Drinking him is challenging enough.

http://www.ldjackson.net LD Jackson

Ha, I am surprised someone didn’t mention that already. I started to make a smart alec remark in the article, but refrained from doing so.

Keep up the good work, rjjrdq.

http://maggiesnotebook.blogspot.com Maggie Thornton

Thanks so much for the link, Larry. I really enjoyed this post. He is a magnificent looking bird. Think of his head changing colors depending on his emotions. How mighty are our creations on this planet? I did not know the Bald Eagle was so disreputable – or “lousy.” If true, I think Mr. Franklin’s observations are spot-on.

http://www.ldjackson.net LD Jackson

You are very welcome, Maggie. I am glad you enjoyed the post. I shouldn’t be surprised, but I find myself amazed at the new things I learn about these animals.

http://the-classic-liberal.com/ theCL

Thanks for the link, especially to that post! It’s a topic I blog about from time to time, but never with the eloquence of Joe Sobran. As Christians, it’s important that we think twice about where we put our faith.

http://www.ldjackson.net LD Jackson

You are welcome, CL. I thought your post was spot on.

Laurie

I missed this on Sunday, but thanks for the wild turkey discussion. I live in the hills of a Northwest neighborhood. We have deer, racoon, possum-you name it, we contend with them, especially as it relates to gardening-ornamental and edible.
I have Beagles, domesticated and spoiled but not afraid to chase the critters away. As a consequence, our grape vines, plum trees and roses (candy to a deer) stay pristine. Some of my neighbors even invite our dogs over to see if they can “spread some fear”.

The wild turkeys (I didn’t read that you mentioned their size-huge!) in the neighborhoood, however, are unimpressed by any of us. In fact, they’re a bit fiesty, and I’ve turned and RAN out of the forested hills more than once when they’ve turned their attention on me. And my Beagles, those fearless little hunters? They’re usually three steps ahead of me! Wild turkeys-6, Beagles-0

http://www.ldjackson.net LD Jackson

Sorry, Laurie. I am still chuckling at the thought of you running from a wild turkey, with your Beagles leading the way.

You are right, they are not afraid or impressed by anyone or anything. You would think they owned the entire forest, the way they strut and gobble around.